Pain Sufferers Risking Overdoses, National Survey Finds

BETHESDA, Md., Jan. 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Many Americans who turn to over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for chronic pain relief are routinely ignoring medicine labels, according to new surveys released by the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA). This practice puts people at risk of overdose which can lead to serious side effects such as stomach bleeding, ulcers, liver damage, among other complications, and even death.

"Pain is incredibly personal, but taking more than the recommended dose of OTC pain medicine can cause significant stomach and intestinal damage among other complications," said Byron Cryer, MD, councillor-at-large, AGA Institute and associate dean, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.

AGA commissioned the Gut Check: Know Your Medicine survey, conducted online by Harris Poll in September-October 2015 among 1,015 U.S. adults aged 30+ ("consumers") and 251 U.S. gastroenterologists, and said the issue is concerning because chronic pain affects about 100 million American adults, according to a 2011 Institute of Medicine report.

Key findings include:

• Many gastroenterologists report a majority of their chronic pain patients are using medicines at a higher dose and for a longer duration than recommended and often don't connect the overdose symptoms to the OTC pain medicines.
• More than two in five (43 percent) chronic pain sufferers said they knowingly have taken more than the recommended dose at some point.
• Many chronic pain sufferers believe the directions on the labels of OTC pain medicine are really just guidelines -- stating they know what works best for them (43 percent).

Americans living with chronic pain can get relief safely, but it is important to work with a health-care professional to effectively manage chronic pain. Chronic pain should never be self-managed with OTC medicines. AGA recommends:

• Talk to your health-care professional about all the medicines you are taking.
• Read and follow all medicine labels
• Only take one product at a time containing the same kind of ingredient.

Visit GutCheckFacts.org for the executive summary.

About the Campaign
Gut Check: Know Your Medicine is an educational campaign created by the AGA, with sponsorship support from McNeil Consumer Healthcare, to encourage the safe use of pain medicine.

Survey Method
The Gut Check: Know Your Medicine Survey was conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of AGA. For complete research method, please contact Sarah Beth Cloar.

SOURCE American Gastroenterological Association

Related Links

http://www.gastro.org